{"id":130879,"date":"2026-05-28T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cortez-city-council-proclaims-june-pride-month-amid-disagreement\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T05:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T11:00:00","slug":"cortez-city-council-proclaims-june-pride-month-amid-disagreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cortez-city-council-proclaims-june-pride-month-amid-disagreement\/","title":{"rendered":"Cortez City Council proclaims June Pride Month amid disagreement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"In
In its proclamation of Pride Month, Cortez City Council rejected discrimination and expressed appreciation for the LGBTQ+ members of the Cortez community. (Associated Press file)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Nearly 20 minutes of back and forth among Cortez City Council members about whether to proclaim June 2026 as Pride Month dominated Tuesday\u2019s meeting, with the measure ultimately passing 5-2.<\/p>\n

Council member April Randle opened the debate with a speech defining discrimination as \u201cthe unfair judgment, treatment or separation from one\u2019s rights based on a characteristic that a person has no control over or has no choice over,\u201d arguing that discrimination could both promote or marginalize identities.<\/p>\n

In an unstable political and economic environment, Randle argued that multiple forces are coalescing to divide the American public. Endorsing Pride Month would further divisions, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have scorched-earth political partisanship happening in the world. We have lifestyle branding that\u2019s occurring. We have a collapse of public trust in the government,\u201d Randle said. \u201cThese are all forces that are there that we\u2019re dealing with. But there are also forces that are actively promoting division and discrimination based on people\u2019s groups.\u201d<\/p>\n

She placed herself firmly against the proclamation, noting that the city did not endorse Asian American Month, National Military Appreciation Month, or Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month \u2012 all in May.<\/p>\n

\"Council
Council member April Randle opposed declaring June 2026 Pride Month during 10-minute speech. \u201cI would ask us to rise and avoid any further segregation, division or separation of our citizens, whether it be because they live on the north side of town or the south side of town \u2013 which I\u2019ve heard before \u2013 whether they\u2019re straight or not,\u201d Randle said. (Screenshot)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Following Randle\u2019s 10-minute commentary, council member Bill Lewis stepped in.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that lengthy address, I would just like to say I do agree with many things that council member Randle mentioned, but \u2026 when I read this proclamation, everything in here is what the city of Cortez is,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n